madison trupp @madisontrupp - Tumblr Blog

the soldier

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ponderation

Vareid Pools by Ramon M Covelo

90377

Fallen and Hidden from the Sun by Jorge Verdasca - youtube

superbnature

Earthen Abbey by Laanscapes

jasonincalifornia

Lower Yosemite Falls

Prints/Society6

lsleofskye

Summersnow - Collection | life.by.linus

Location: Småland, Sweden

mydarkenedeyes

Vinnoth Krishnan

….wheat, sun, fog

Nature Creates Beautiful Crystal Waves

satakentia

McWay Falls California Highway 1st, CA, USA

by Hongyu Guo

suburbanmomromanceclub

File this under “super obvious yet I always seem to forget it.”

iamwordsandpixels-deactivated20

I don’t write romance (I totally respect people who do, though!) but this is also great writing advice in general! What is preventing the protagonist from achieving their goal?

Why can’t these two people be together now?

Why can’t the mystery be solved now?

Why can’t they overthrow the evil overlord now?

If you don’t have a solid answer for these questions, that’s a good indicator that the plot could use some more work.

megan-cutler

Also test your answer a little bit. If it’s as thin as they’re just refusing to sit down and have a simple conversation, you might want to re-think how things are going.

operahousebookworm

As a beta reader/editor, I tend to ask this question a lot: “Why are they doing it this way when there’s a much easier path available?” That’s not to say that they should take the easier path, because that would usually be boring. Instead, the point is that the question needs an answer–either eliminate the easier path or give them a very clear reason for not taking it. (And if I’m asking the question, that reason isn’t as clear as you think it might be.)

I find it very difficult to root for characters who have a sensible option available and just don’t take it. If the only reason is “Because there wouldn’t be a story otherwise,” you haven’t actually found the story yet.

riptidepublishing

And this is why the Big Misunderstanding as a primary plot device is almost universally disliked.

kidlightnings

like if it has to be a big misunderstanding plot, make at least part of it about how one or both characters involved in the big misunderstanding need to learn to communicate as part of the plot resolution

or if it has to be a ‘we’re ignoring an easier way’ make a plot point be about a character whose participation would be key, pridefully refusing, or maybe about the characters being ignorant to the easier way’s existence due to their inexperience doing [x] thing

there are ways to do these plots well, but involve you invoking flaws in the characters